


I've been so many places, but you're the one I run home to

by Leelia



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Blood Drinking, EXO Ensemble - Freeform, M/M, Minor Character Death, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-16 08:51:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13632900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leelia/pseuds/Leelia
Summary: After Junmyeon turns Baekhyun into a vampire, Baekhyun spends years, centuries, running away from him, until he doesn't know anymore whether it's out of hate for Junmyeon, hate for himself or just out of plain habit.





	I've been so many places, but you're the one I run home to

**Author's Note:**

> **Ticket No. 308**  
>  **Warnings:** vampires, blood drinking, minor character death  
>  **Pairing:** Baekhyun/Suho  
>  **Side Pairing(s):** Kai/Lay/Sehun  
>  **Time Period:** several time periods (From aproximately 300 a.d. until the year 2000)  
>  **Author's Note:** Thank you for choosing to read this fic. Actually, when I was looking for prompts I knew I wanted a pairing with Junmyeon, and only fell in love with this pairing while writing this story. So thanks, I really loved the prompt. Also, since I know who the prompter is, I hope you enjoy the outcome hehe  
>  I like my storyline, but I just feel like some parts, especially the conversations are a little rough. Never the less, I am happy with my story and with my experience writing for this fest :)  
> The title was taken from the english demo for been through  
> I hope you enjoy reading!

Byun Baekhyun is a despicable man. Was a despicable man? At least in the eyes of his father, he has ceased to exist after going too far again and again. As a mere bastard, he feels as if he is way more entitled than he actually is, behaves way too arrogant and treats those around him with such obvious contempt that even his own father, has enough. And so, the boy is cast out, living as a beggar and depending on the few single souls in Geungwan Gaya who don’t depend on the man who doesn’t want to see his son again.  
But the nights get colder, people start to get concerned about their own health and as winter comes, Baekhyun is forgotten. The boy is not going to survive. And as he feels that his life is coming to an end, and as he is about to close his eyes for the very last time, he sees him. The shadow of a man, looking even weaker than Baekhyun feels. And the next thing he feels is pain. Immense, seemingly endless.

It doesn’t stop. Not for a long time. And when it finally ebbs away, it’s replaced with something much worse. It’s an urge at first, yet he doesn’t know what he’s craving. He wakes up, breathless, his eyes wide open, but he hasn’t got the energy to move, or comprehend the images he’s seeing. And then, there’s a wrist being shoved into his view and his body knows what to do. With a sudden burst of energy he latches onto it, grabs it with both his hands and sinks his teeth – teeth he now realises are pointed and very sharp – in it, drinking eagerly.

There’s a steady hand on his neck, keeping him in place. And still, blood spills over, over his lips, chin, neck, over his hands and when the wrist is ripped away from him, he frantically tries to reach the blood now all over his face and hands, almost biting himself but he seems to realise that that wouldn’t be a good idea. His urge feels sated, but something tells him it won’t be for long.

The pain comes back, less intense but still enough to paralyse his body and then there’s the darkness again. When he comes back to himself, the scene replays itself in almost the same way. It replays itself several times, but he notices that there are different kinds of blood he’s drinking, different tastes. One feels rich and somehow powerful, the other taste varies, but always feels livelier, and he can’t decide which one he likes better.

The pain always comes back but it gets less bad each time, until one morning, he wakes up and his thoughts are clear. He doesn’t feel the urge to bite someone and rid them of all the blood that keeps them alive, no, he feels good. His limbs obey him after a long time, and he manages to sit up, take his environment in. He has been lying on a thin white mattress; however, it is full of red stains. There is a second mattress next to it, but it seems vacated, this one has only very little stains. Other than the mattresses, the room is almost empty save for a little chest in the opposite corner.

Three of the walls are windowless, but the fourth is only a construction of bars and poles and lets in a lot of light. There is a bigger opening which seems to serve as a door. He is surprised at how easy it is to get up after such a long time of not being able to control his own body. Actually, he doesn’t know how long it has been, but it sure has felt like ages. His skin starts to tingle a little as he steps into the light and through the opening. The house is raised, so he makes his way down the stairs towards the ground.  
But before he can get far there’s an awfully familiar voice shouting at him to get back in as fast as possible and a man who seems to cover more than 50 metres in a second. Baekhyun’s grabbed by the arm and yanked back inside, into the shadows. His skin has started itching, and suddenly there’s a burning sensation all over his body, he cowers, tries to get away from whatever has hurt him.

The next thing he realises is that he has a wrist in his mouth again and the longer he’s suckling at it, the less pain there is and as he raises his eyes, he sees that the wrist is attached to the most beautiful person he’s ever seen. Once he’s calmed down again and sitting down on his mattress, the man speaks. He realises that it’s a voice he’s heard often because every time he has woken up and craved blood, the voice has been there as well, always talking in a calming tone, however, he has never understood what the man was actually saying.

“You were lucky I just came back, young one. Don’t go out in the daylight it hurts ok?” The man says this almost cheerfully, as if he does not understand in any way what pain Baekhyun has just gone through. He also sounds awfully patronizing. “I’m Junmyeon, nice to meet you now that you’re awake at last. What’s your name?”

“Baekhyun,” he answers, after he’s managed to stop gaping. “And who the hell do you think you are? What have you done to me?”

Turns out that Junmeyon doesn’t seem to know what he is, or at least, he doesn’t have a name for it. The whole deal seems to be pretty easy though. They survive by drinking blood, can’t go out by day because the sun supposedly burns them, and they have some other superficial powers like being able to cover long distances in a short amount of time. Oh, and they’re kind of immortal. Baekhyun learns that years have passed since Junmyeon has done whatever he did to make Baekhyun like him. Years where he has been passed out for weeks just to wake up and suck blood like crazy and then pass out again.

As much as he’s confused about his new condition, he’s also disgusted. He has not cared a lot about what he’s doing, of course, when he went through his painful phase of waking to drink blood and passing out again. Now, however, he feels so sick about it. Not that he’s especially fond of people in general, but killing them is going a little too far, isn’t it? And it has been a few years after all. Junmyeon must be a disgusting creature, and he has made Baekhyun just like him.

“How many people had to die in order for me to be feed?” Baekhyun asks one day, and Junmyeon shrugs.“Is it that important to you?” he asks, emotionless. “Should you not be greatful to be alive yourself instead?”

And Baekhyun is really not sure. Yes, it is important to him, because he is above killing. But this new lifestyle is not really what he wanted. Just because his father couldn’t see it, doesn’t mean that he wasn’t a very nice young man, and could have been very important for the future of his father’s business as well.  
He actually learns soon, as he sneaks into the city at night, that his father has passed away while Baekhyun was changing, and now, he sees with envy all the things his half-brother has inherited.

But he learns slowly but surely, about being how he is and that it might be better to not even be concerned by the matter, as he is going to live on, and the people he’s envious of are going to perish so soon his immortal self won’t have to bother. Though he does relapse, and he goes crazy for blood a few times, Junmeyon is always there, always lending him his wrist, and somehow Baekhyun is grateful that he has someone like Junmyeon who cares so well for him. Someone who can stay with him. But he can’t stop mistrusting him as well, as he knows he must be a killer, and can’t stop feeling disgusted, can’t stop the hateful thoughts that enter his head.

And then, soon he learns how to control his urges, to feel when he has had enough. He also learns the fun stuff, like seeing in the dark and running inhumanly fast.  
Junmyeon is a good mentor. When he isn’t teaching, they talk about mundane things or cease talking altogether and go for long runs. They never bring up the past, but based on junmyeons blank face everytime Baekhyun brings up the people Junmyeon must have killed, and how silent he goes, Baekhyun starts assuming about his horrible crimes in the past again.

After some time, Junmyeon starts drinking his blood as well and Baekhyun doesn’t dare to refuse it to him. Actually in a very ironical way, he likes that Junmyeon needs him as well. He likes seeing how his blood can make Junmyeon feel better. It gives him a feeling of power.

Some more years pass and Baekhyun settles in with Junmeyon. He is strong, fast, and most importantly free to do as he pleases. He has never had such a quality in living, seeing as he has been always restricted by a father who couldn’t see his potential. Nowadays it’s only the two of them. Junmyeon doesn’t bring people for Baekhyun to snack on. They feed off of each other and despite his hate for his Junmyeon, Baekhyun sometimes feels almost magically drawn to him.

But most of the time, he hates what he has been turned into. Most of all, he hates that so many people had to die because of him. Hates, that Junmyeon has done this for him. And still, he can’t help being glad that he got turned, because it allows him to be with Junmyeon. What he doesn’t know though, is why the other has turned him. And one day, he asks the question, and the answer is not what he has hoped for.

“You were an experiment.” Junmyeon states. “I was very hungry and needed someone to drink from. You tasted sweeter than any human I’ve ever sank my teeth into, so I decided to turn you. To see whether I can drink from you even after you’ve become like me.” 

And then Baekhyun understands that Junmyeon, has just turned him for his own selfish reasons, and now Baekhyun is here, here whenever Junmyeon needs a little snack. Junmyeon has probably never actually cared for him. He’s just cared for Baekhyuns ‘sweet’ blood and for the outcome of his little experiment.

He’s always had this very blank face whenever Baekhyun has talked of his painful phase freshly after being turned. Junmyeon probably doesn’t realise how painful everything has been for him. Doesn’t realise what he has done to Baekhyun without his consent. He has brought a live upon Baekhyun he absolutely would have said no to if he had been asked. Who would like to lead a life like this anyway, where you have to hurt other people in order to survive? His thoughts spiral downwards from then on. He relives his imaginations of how Junmyeon’s lived before having Baekhyun. He imagines him, coldly drinking from people, draining them until they die. Or Junmyeon looking for people just to satisfy the craving of his new little toy, aka Baekhyun. Junmyeon feeding him innocent people just so that he can grow himself his very own blood donator.

He hates him. Wants to run away and leave him behind. But somehow he can’t. He doesn’t just crave blood anymore. He craves Junmyeon. And has, along the way, become a little addicted to Junmyeon’s blood as well. He is terrified. Terrified of Junmyeon and what he has possibly done, but also terrified of their connection. Soon, he starts to physically feel him. There’s this buzz that is stronger the nearer Junmyeon is. It is faint for now, and Baekhyun doesn’t even want to imagine into what it could grow. And then, one night, things escalate.

“Do you feel our connection?” Junmyeon asks and Baekhyun can’t help but nod. “It’s probably because we exchange our blood all the time.” Junmyeon continues.  
They’re sitting inside the same house Baekhyun has woken up so many years ago, the night is almost over. Baekhyun’s just drank from Junmyeon and without doubt, Junmyeon will do the same soon and then they’re going to sleep through the day. Junmyeon scoots over to Baekhyuns mattress and reaches for his arm. Instead of biting his wrist though, he kisses the back of his hand and Baekhyun is confused.

“Somehow a bond was formed. And I think I’ll never be able to drink form anyone else again. I’m addicted to you.” Baekhyun doesn’t understand the world anymore when he feels Junmyeon’s lips against his own, but it somehow makes sense. He’s never seen this side of Junmyeon before, but it’s different. His fears and hate are forgotten as he returns the press of Junmyeon’s lips. Kissing like this feels so intensive, and the bond humms even more. He feels Junmyeon peeling the clothes from his upper body and then his lips move, down underneath his jaw and then he bites. Junmyeon’s never drunk from his neck before. They’ve always just drank from the wrists and the feeling is so new and good he can’t help moaning, and continue to gasp and whimper, feeling suddenly so aroused and small in Junmyeon’s arms.

Junmyeon is done after only a few seconds, but for Baekhyun it has felt like ages and he’d like to feel it even longer. But in Junmyeons strong arms, Baekhyun’s demanding side starts to fade, leaving just need. After Junmyeon has removed his teeth the injury heals almost instantly, another convenient advantage, and Baekhyun is glad because he has started feeling a little light headed.

“My beautiful Baek,” Junmyeon mutters as he probably smears Baekhyuns blood all over his chest as his hands and lips start to wander and then goes back to kissing him. His hands are everywhere and soon both lose their clothes, and Baekhyun can’t help but bask in the overwhelming feeling whenever Junmyeon’s hands or lips find another sensitive part of his body. Nobody has ever touched Baekhyun like this. Junmyeon’s hands travel lower on his body and everything feels so, so right. 

And when Junmyeon connects their bodies, it feels like pure magic and soon Baekhyun feels like he’s back in that stage where he’s had no control over his body, but what he feels now is pure bliss. The only thing he can do is moan loudly and hang on to his lover, but it’s alright, because it’s Junmyeon. Only in the evening will Baekhyun remember how terrified he is of him, and how much he mistrusts the other. And he will want to run.

He doesn’t run, not yet. Their relationship has changed, of course, and Baekhyun bottles up all his hate. Being loved by Junmyeon is easy and good, but only until his head clears again after their passionate love making. He stays for a while, but he is still what he is. A creature that awakens during the night, feeds on blood and could crush a human with his bare hands. And he knows he can’t run away from that. But he can run away from Junmyeon. And one evening, he just does it. Says goodbye to the still sleeping Junmyeon, grabs some gold the other has lying around and runs without looking back. Not actually, he does look back and he knows already that he will miss him dearly.

 

So Baekhyun ran, and now he’s here, been here for quite a while. They call this city Constantinople. It’s far away from Gaya and that’s good. The people here however, look completely different, so it’s good that Baekhyun can’t show himself by day anyway.

Baekhyun is not alone though, he has companions. Firstly, there’s Minseok. Minseok is just like Baekhyun, coming from Gaya, but from a different state. Travelling west, through the eastern Jin Empire, they came upon three men who worshipped them as goods after seeing their otherworldly speed. Minseok offered the men to serve them, and Baekhyun had been intrigued in that as well. It had been quite some time since he’s had his own servants.

When they arrived in Constantinople, Minseok showed Baekhyun a very interesting trick. Receiving the blood of a creature like them, a man’s life can be prolonged. And while receiving and giving blood to the same person would turn them, receiving one person’s blood and giving blood to another lets them stay human. Minseok showed his true colours though, when he let Baekhyun have all three of their servants. Baekhyun might be haughty and selfish, but he won’t take a life. But Minseok hunts and kills. He is not interested in people giving their blood willingly, loves the chase, the thrill, loves the screams of his victims and how the blood spills out of one wound while he’s lapping at another.

Baekhyun has lost his symphaty for him, but he needs Minseok’s blood for his servants, so they can grow older together. So that Baekhyun doesn’t have to kill, and is provided by easily accessible blood at any time. But he is also fond of the servants. They are called Yifan, Luhan and Zitao. First he liked them for their loyalty, but living with them for such a long time has made Baekhyun a little softer. He’s started liking them for their personality and their companionship. They as well, see Baekhyun in a different light now. They understand that despite his different diet and powers, he is very much human. They see his flaws, of which he has many, but they stay. They’re probably the first friends Byun Baekhyun has ever had.

Constantinople is a busy city. Ever since the Roman Empire split, it has been the capital of the eastern empire. Baekhyun is involved in trade, and the business has been going well for a long time, so he’s made quite the fortune. Living in Constantinople is easy.

It’s the chariot races that change things. They’re the start of everything. Minseok watches them with delight, as he is immune to the sunlight, like Junmyeon. Sometimes when he comes back in the evening, he seems like a small child as he tells Baekhyun every detail.

There are four chariot teams: the whites, the reds, the blues and the greens. The greens and blues are the strong ones and have started to become involved in social and political themes as well. And there are fanatics. Sometimes Minseok laughs about them, because they start violent riots and fight each other after the races. “One day they’re gonna kill each other.” He says with one of his nasty grins. And he’s right. There are murders, people get hanged for it. But two of the gallows don’t seem to work, and people think it’s a miracle. They demand that the two be pardoned. But Justinian, the emperor stays hard and imprisons them.

Three days after, at the chariot races, the situation escalates. During the races, people shout at Justinian to pardon the prisoners, but he stays committed to his decision. Minseok again tells Baekhyun when he wakes up in the evening, when he realises something’s different.

Outside there are shouts and houses are on fire. One of the prisoners was part of the Blues, the other of the Greens. The teams are not fighting each other anymore, but together, they riot against the emperor. The fire destroys big parts of the city. And then, Baekhyun realises that his three servants, no, friends, are absent. He finds them at what’s left of his second house across the city.

Blood can enhance their lifespan, but it doesn’t save them from getting crushed by debris. While Minseok has a field day in the whole chaos, Baekhyun mourns. He brings his friends back to his house, crying and damning whichever gods, for people believe in many different ones, and why not blame them all. And when this house catches on fire as well on the third day, Baekhyun leaves their bodies to burn. On the fourth day, there’s a familiar feeling, a pull that hasn’t been there in years, and the creature in him, the creature that he was turned into against his will wants to go and find him. Junmyeon is here.

Was he attracted by violence and death? Baekhyun’s head wants to believe so, but his heart hopes that Junmyeon has been looking for him.  
But he resists the urge and tries to stay hidden. The riots cease on the fifth day, and when Baekhyun wakes in the evening, he finds a drunk-on-blood Minseok accompanied by none other than the one he wanted to avoid so badly. Having him so near though, he can’t resist, and that’s how Baekhyun finds himself in Junmyeon’s arms again after such a long time. And it feels like coming home.

It's easier than anticipated. Junmyeon is here and suddenly things are ok again. While the loss of his friends is still at the back of his mind, he can't help but feel at ease, safe from the horrors of the past few nights. Minseok is forgotten, as is the world, and Baekhyun leads Junmyeon to yet another place he owns. In the coming days, weeks, years, Constantinople is repaired, but the both of them are too busy, busy with each other.

Junmyeon has always known how to worship Baekhyun’s body, and the both of them are caught in a whirl of desire, lust and passion. They share blood like they used to, they make love like they used to, and after a while, Baekhyun’s disgust comes back, like it used to.

Once he starts thinking again, he thinks about how familiar Junmyeon and Minseok seemed to be with each other. And while he’s still laying in Junmyeon’s arms, he can’t help but wonder.

“So, you met Minseok?” he asks, curious and not really sure whether he’s ready for an answer. “Yes!” Junmyeon answers with such enthusiasm, it’s almost cute. “I’ve known him before. Always been a little bloodthirsty that one. We’re like brothers though. Best friends.”

Well, he seems to be pretty happy about his connection to Minseok, but that’s what bugs Baekhyun. Minseok is a freak, and their friendship just seems to confirm that Junmyeon is one too, behind all those sweet words and cute smiles.

Yes, he can forget when Junmyeon kisses him with his soft lips and when he smiles at him so cutely. When he whispers how much he loves him and has missed him. But the fear comes back and Baekhuyn starts picturing how many innocent people he must have killed in the meantime. Or how many people he has changed, cursed to live an eternal live.  
Baekhyun doesn't remember how long he has been here, or how much time he’s spent with Junmyeon, but he knows he needs to leave again. So he does.

He meets Minseok, as he makes his way out of the city. Of course those few years have not changed him, and so, Minseok is just having a meal as their paths cross. Baekhyun is just a little disgusted, when he sees both his friend and said friend's victim covered in blood, but hey, the poor guy might survive as Minseok lets him go. "Leaving?" he lulls. Of course that wasn't the first one, wasn't he.

"Yep. You're not coming with me though." "That's fine, I'm happy here." Minseok smirks as he swipes his sleeve over his mouth in an attempt get a little less bloody. "Go north, young one."

Baekhyun rolls his eyes at those words. "Why north?" "They say there's an eternal night." Minseok grins again. "That's why you need to go there, young one, as to not burn in the sun." Minseok mocks again.

Minseok is like Junmyeon somehow, no wonder they know each other. Ever since Baekhyun has met them, both of them have been able to walk under the sun, whereas Baekhyun still feels burning pain, those few times he is exposed to the sun by accident. 

 

Eternal night sounds like something made up, but it's worth a try, especially since he has no idea where to go anyways. His speed makes for a short trip and for once something he does doesn't take a few years, but only a few days. He doesn't know how much north is north enough, but soon temperatures get colder, people get scarce. There's not much vegetation, there's nothing but snow.

Then he finds a corpse. Not dead for long, and there's two clean very small wounds on his neck. Baekhyun has found someone new. Someone like himself. He's not looking for friends, especially not for ones who leave their victims out in the cold, so that they don't just bleed to death, but also freeze to death. But still, not far from there he meets him.  
The guy is small, smaller than Baekhyun, but his gaze is strong.

"Hello." And his voice is deep. “People don’t really come up here, but I see you might have the same motives as me.”

The guy is Kyungsoo, Baekhyun learns. Kyungsoo doesn't say much. But he explains the eternal night. He doesn't actually know why, but in these parts, in winter there’s one really long night, and in summer, there’s one really long day.

Somehow they click. Kyungsoo swears that he only kills people who are going to die up here in the freezing cold anyways. Baekhyun can accept that. Kyungsoo actually has a house around here, and invites Baekhyun to stay there as long as he wants.

Things are quiet; they are lazy, live is easy and cozy here. Baekhyun is astounded when he experiences the long night for the first time. Normally he only has a few hours to roam, but now he has weeks. Weeks to run, walk, sit down. Think. And talk. Thy do, rarely, but still, before Baekhyun realises what he's doing, he has already told Kyungsoo about his life, his friends, his fears and of course, the man he loves and hates equally. Junmyeon.

It has been years up there, and the Scandinavian night has just settled once again, something Baekhyun has been waiting for impatiently. He has gone out for a run with Kyungsoo, has enjoyed being outside for longer than just a few hours. But then, as they headed back to their house, a surprise waited on their doorstep, Junmyeon, waiting as if it was a normal occurrence, coming back after more than 4 centuries. Baekhyun should have felt it. Should have felt the tightening in his chest, the same thing he has felt that day centuries back in Constantinople, the bond that has formed between him and his maker. One that he is not always grateful for, but now, as he sees him again, it also reminds Baekhyun of his feelings. The feelings he’s still not able to decipher. Love, hate, what’s the difference? And while he had stood there, not entirely knowing how to react, Kyungsoo had assessed the situation, come to his conclusion and left.

Now it has been less than a day since their reunion. Baekhyun is tired, spent. „I went back to Gaya”, Junmyeon says. “It is no more.” He’s been restless ever since they’ve met again. “It was annexed by Silla.” 

Baekhyun has never missed Gaya, has never wanted to go back. Gaya was the place where he’s lost his mortal live, his normal live, where he has become the thing, the monster he is now, after all. “It seems to trouble you”, he mutters. “It doesn’t trouble me.”

While Baekhyun has talked about Junmyeon on his bad days, confessed to Kyungsoo how he feels for his maker, how it gets difficult sometimes, deciding whether he’d rather kiss him senseless or rip off his head, now after such a long time, it’s been difficult to withstand, difficult to turn him away when he can feel how they’re drawn to each other like magnets, how it would physically hurt, if he didn’t run into Junmyeons arms instantaneously. Their reunion was passionate, like it has been before. Until now, they can’t stop touching each other, although, the love making has come to a stop. Now, Baekhyun is curled up into Junmyeons side, cuddling him, kissing whatever part of his lover’s skin he can reach from time to time. His hand comes up to Junmyeon’s chest, draw thoughtless patterns on it, walking slowly up to his neck, from where he had drunk his blood.

“It doesn’t trouble me, but you can talk about it if you want” He says eventually. He knows that Junmyeon wants to talk about it. Junmyeon can be like a cute little child sometimes, who wants the attention, wants people to listen, and will pout if they don’t.

“Have you ever heard how Gaya’s first princes came to this earth?” Baekhyun shakes his head. Before he has lost all his wealth, he has never cared about his heritage.  
“Let me tell you.” Junmyeon has gone into story mode.

“The legend tells that six eggs in a golden bowl, wrapped in red cloth descended from heaven. Out of the six eggs, six princes were born. They grew up in 12 days. The first born was Kim Suro. He ruled over Geumgwan Gaya, led the other princes to set up the 6 Gaya states and was the leader of the Gaya confederacy.”

“I’ve heard about him actually”, Baekhyun says, as he finally looks up into Junmyeon’s face. “Though he has been dead for a while when I was born, I have heard of him.”

“But that’s the thing”, Junmyeon says, and Baekhyun finds it hard to read him. Is he thoughtful? Does he even look hurt somehow? Bitter? But it’s the same expression Baekhyun has read as absent, lethargic, void of feeling in the past.

“He was not supposed to die. The six princes, they were the first of our kind. They were the first to be immortal. The first to have extraordinary powers. The first to need the blood of their victims to survive. He was not supposed to die but he did. He made one small mistake, and that was creating me.”

Junmyeon doesn’t say anything after that. He has been looking away, but now as he turns his face towards Baekhyun there’s no doubt that this face doesn’t show remorselessness, and while it doesn’t show the exact opposite, there is something sad in this look. There’s only one long break, and Baekhyun understands.

“He’s your maker. But it was you, who ended him.” And it’s a scary thought. That the man in his arms is supposed to have killed the one who should have been the most powerful of their kind.

“Exactly. I hated him for creating me, but in a different way than you hate me for creating you. He’s singled me out. While he was able to father children, they were human and couldn’t inherit his powers. So he needed to find a different way. He was set on finding a way to turn a mortal immortal, and he wanted me to have no other choice than following him, obeying him. He killed my whole family, and then started to experiment. It was painful, pure torture. He drank so much of my blood I almost died. Brought me to the brink of death many times, but it took him a long time to figure out that I need to drink his blood too. And when I was changed, he didn’t know how to look after me. I killed so many people during that time. He thought he broke me but he didn’t. In the end, I managed to overwhelm him. Drank all his blood, and now his powers are mine. That’s why I’m so powerful. The descendants of the princes can never be as strong as them. The princes can only pass on fragments of their powers. Every new generation will be weaker. Yes, they might gain certain powers over time, but they will never surpass their maker, never.”

He’s never spoken of this, and Baekhyun is surprised. He’s always thought that Junmyeon is a man who would be proud of killing another. Baekhyun can’t hear pride in his words, but he can’t hear remorse either. He can live with that for now. And he starts to feel bad now, because he’s never thought about how Junmyeon was turned, what things the other must have given up for it.

“And what does this have to do with Gaya being annexed?” He finally wonders. Maybe it should be obvious, but he’s too tired for that. And he just can’t understand what’s going on in Junmyeon’s head. He loves the man, knows all his quirks, his likes and dislikes, but his thoughts are a mystery.

“Suro was the leader of the Gaya confederation. I’m his descendant. In a way, I think of Gaya as mine. I didn’t do much to protect it though, and that’s what bothers me. I’m probably like a little child whose toy was just taken away.”

And Baekhyun would have known that Junmyeon’s pouting right now, even if he looked away. But he doesn’t know whether it’s a joking pout or real.

Power is not something he has thought a lot about here up north. Or territories. What belongs to whom and who rules over which part of this earth. In Constantinople he has been rich and has had his servants, but somehow he feels much more at peace on his own, or with Kyungsoo.

They fall into silence, and later they fall into an agreeable rhythm. Running outside, conversations with Kyungsoo, existing for the sake of existing. It’s as peaceful as before, but now Baekhyun experiences this peace together with Junmyeon. They become even closer, their bond grows even deeper. Baekhyun learns new skills. Junmyeon tells him that he should technically be able to walk under the sun now, as Baekhyun has reached a quite imposing age. Junmyeon tells him how he and Minseok have worked out a system of generations, and since Junmyeon has absorbed the powers of one of the first generation, he became one of the first generation himself. Hence Baekhyun would count as second generation, which is pretty neat according to Junmyeon, who is pretty smug about it.

Somewhere north. That’s where Baekhyun finds something new in Junmyeon. And he has thought he knew him. He obviously didn’t, and while Junmyeon seems to have Baekhyun worked out, Baekhyun is scared. He doesn’t like violence and murder. Now Junmyeon seems to like it neither. But Baekhyun also doesn’t like being wrong. And he doesn’t like to change his view point, and he grows scared and restless. And he feels like he can’t stay. And he doesn’t stay.

 

As Baekhyun travels, now, he can’t stop thinking about Junmyeon mentioning that he should be able to walk in the sunlight, and is very surprised as it really works. It is a whole new experience, as it had been such a long time since he had been turned. Baekhyun knows the concept of Christianity from his time in Constantinople, but now, he sees the religion all over, and with this religion came a way to count the time. The year 1100 is near, and according to his calculations, Baekhyun has lived for 800 years. 800 years as a creature of the night, hiding in the shadows, stealing life force in the form of drinking the blood of humans. Also, almost 700 years of running away.

After staying at the same place for a long time, Baekhyun feels restless, and now he travels without halt, from one city to the other, from one kingdom to the other. Baekhyun witnesses populations increasing, and a change in social and political matters. He also finds that you don’t have to be a creature like him to be cruel, as people are killed in the name of a god.

And all this for nothing, as almost half of all people are wiped out by a mysterious sickness that even Baekhyun starts to fear. 

And yet, humanity seems a determined to be better at killing than nature.

New worlds are found, books are printed, and then Christianity is split and then an argument ends in two men being thrown out of a window and in a war that will rage for 30 years.

And while there is a revolution in the country that is now called France, Baekhyun settles down in the neighbouring country, Germany, in a city called Jena, hears news of a king losing his head shortly after Baekhyun becomes a student, and as one of his professors, the poet Friedrich Schiller becomes friends with the city’s minister Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Baekhyun finds a beautiful friendship himself: Chanyeol and Jongdae.

Baekhyun lives a quite concealed live at the university. It's easy and difficult at the same time, but one day, some guy starts talking and he can't escape anymore. The guy has a friend. The two are idiots. They are called Chanyeol and Jongdae, and like Baekhyun, they're vampires. Vampire, a term not coined long ago, but Baekhyun has fun with the word. Vampires are generally seen as bloodsucking monsters who can turn into bats and come from transilvania. Not that Baekhyun can turn into a bat, but he can do some other pretty cool stuff. Chanyeol and Jongdae are younger than Baekhyun. He knows because they only come to university on cold and dark days. He also knows because they have to look for blood much more often than Baekhyun, In fact, they often meet cute girls on weekends, they are both pretty good at mind control, which allows them to deceive their partners into thinking they were just a date, when they actually just played blood donators. When he asks them about it, they say that they are of the third generation, and that they have been like this for around 500 years.

Soon, Baekhyun joins Chanyeol and Jongdae in their appartement. They live the typical live of breadless poets, but they are content in each other’s company. 

And Baekhyun most of all, is content. 

They are not like Junmyeon. Junmyeon is Baekhyun's lover, as well as his maker, as well as the person he still runs away from.

They are not like Minseok, who Baekhyun grew attached to even though he can't support his violence in any way.

They are not like Yifan, or Luhan, or Zitao, who were his best friends, but who never really ceased to be his servants as well. 

And they are not like Kyungsoo, because while Kyungsoo was a good companion, he was quiet and reserverd, and could not help Baekhyun out of his bad thoughts.

Chanyeol and Jongdae are loud. They are messy. They enjoy living for the sake of living.

They bring out the best in Baekhyun.

Baekhyun never thought he could be loud, or obnoxious. But now, whenever Jondgdae shouts through their whole appartement, he finds himself shouting back. Whenever Chanyeol engages him in a tickling war, he laughs and screams and tickles back twice as hard.

And as soon as Baekhyun joins them, they are all loud and obnoxious and messy and most of all happy and joyous alltogether.

Baekhyun stays there for years and years. He studies philosophy, theology, law, literary, anything he can think of. As years go by, Schiller dies, and then Goethe dies, and the romantic movement ends but Baekhyun still stays, because he likes the place, he is happy.

So, after living with Junmyeon in the north, almost 800 years have passed. Baekhyun has been touring Europe. And while he witnessed one change after the other, witnessed how kingdoms formed and broke apart, and how people killed each other, one thing was always there. The bond that has formed between Junmyeon and Baekhyun, it has only grown stronger. Baekhyun has always felt the buzz, and when it was exceptionally strong, he would move on as fast as possible. And sometimes he would not, to see Junmyeon again when he started to miss him really bad, those reconnections often passionate but short lived.

So he has seen him in those 800 years. Has met him, felt him, but never spent more time than a few hours or days together. 

It's when he feels it again after staying at one place for a quite long time and being that happy he knows that meeting him again will be different. Because Baekhyun is different now.

Chanyeol and Jongdae know about Junmyeon, though not much. They know Baekhyun has a lover, have listened to him in one of their more serious moments, but they don't agree with Baekhyun. When Baekhyun finally realises how much of an asshole he has been, they tell him to stop being one then. They tell him to finally talk things out with Junmyeon.

The day Junmyeon finally shows up, he is anticipated, with nervousness, but also with joy and hope to finally work things out.

Junmyeon is delighted in meeting Chanyeol and Jongdae. While they are a little too loud for him, he giggles at their antics and their jokes, and even at Chanyeol's straightforward praise for his ass. When they finally disappear into Baekhyun's room for quite a while, the first thing they do is definitely not talking, what brings them a lot of teasing from Chanyeol and Jongdae. 

Only after they spend some time together taking things slow and relaxed, Baekhyun demands to be told everything. And Junmyeon acquiesces.

“A little storytime, you ask for?” Junmyeon asks on a rainy day, sitting in the cozy armchair near the fire, while Chanyeol and Jongdae are out for whatever reason. “Or would you like a serious one?”“Everything. I want to know everything.”

Baekhyun sees Junmyeon sigh, sees his eyes cloud over with a feeling he understands as sadness now, and he knows they have to have the serious storytime.

“If it gets too hard for you, I’m right here.” He says as he moves over to Junmyeon, sits on the floor and lays his head in his lap. “Speak, please”, he says as he looks up right into his eyes. Junmyeon’s hand finds its way into Baekhyun’s hair, petting him, and Baekhyun knows this is the face when Junmyeon tries to find out where to start.

“You remember Minseok, don’t you?” Junmyeon starts and how could anyone forget Minseok. Baekhyun nods, not wanting to say anything now that Junmyeon has started.

“I told you that Minseok is my best friend. And while one might think best friend is a description for a pretty deep relationship, he is so much more. He is like my brother. Not my real brother, you know how I told you my maker killed my family. Minseok was the second one that horrible person made. I was supposed to lead, and Minseok was supposed to be by my side and support me, show me the way again if I should ever lose it. But we never even intended to follow our makers, the first prince’s plans anyway. It was never a secret that he and the other five princes of Gaya were planning to wipe out humanity and take over the world as the head of all immortal beings.

"We revolted. I killed my maker with Minseok’s help, I drank his blood and gained immense powers, but it was so much. It was so much that I could not go on but Minseok was there to guide me as intended, and then he took over. He was stronger than me. There was something else that gave him strength as well. I think… I think he loved me. He killed the other five, he alone drank all their blood and it was no wonder it didn’t end well. You know Minseok, the bloodthirsty monster. He was worst in the beginning, when I could barely restrain him. Minseok was stronger than me, but not in the right mind to use his powers, which allowed me to put him in chains and prevent him from hurting me, anyone, maybe even himself. He never became his old self again. Even though he was able to think straight again, he could never get rid of his thirst for violence. I freed him to bring you safely wherever you wanted to go. I’d say I’m sorry for that, but I’m glad you were protected, you know? 

"And you must know, I never enjoyed killing, I tried my best not to do it. I sincerely regret every single time it happened. But I did have to kill my maker and some of his followers. I swear, I never killed anyone to feed you. I just healed their wounds and meddled with their memories you know? But what I regret most is almost killing you. My thoughts had been dark during those times, and I was starving myself to punish myself for killing, for imposing all the pain and craziness on Minseok, for not being strong enough… I would have died had I not drunk your blood. But your blood was the one I could not withstand. And then I killed you. Which was exactly what I was trying to prevent, so the only way to not kill you was to turn you. I’m sorry for my twisted logic back then. You were not an experiment, you were an accident. One that I deeply regret, because I’ve always seen that you don’t want this live.”

There’s an eerie silence after Junmyeon finishes speaking, and it’s a lot for Baekhyun to take in. And he doesn’t know how to answer.

He has misjudged Junmyeon all this time. And he’s not sure how he would have reacted, had Junmyeon told him earlier. Maybe he wouldn’t have believed him a few hundred years ago, but now, now that Baekhyun feels better, freer, more like himself, he understands and is willing to forgive. And before everything had happened, Junmyeon must have been a young innocent man, someone much better than Baekhyun had been. Everything had been taken from him, family, friends, a peaceful life. Meanwhile, Beakhyun had not even had friends, had despised his family and had brought himself into this situation, in which he was alone and weak and an easy pray for a dying man.

Then he remembers that he has to apologize for his own behaviour first.

“You know, I could ask you why you haven’t told me the complete version earlier. But I know that what I have to do is apologize, Junmyeon.” He says, looking up. “All this time, I’ve been an asshole, I thought you were a murderer without knowing your real story. I always took you for granted. But then I always ran away. I’m so sorry.”  
Baekhyun knows that he doesn’t really deserve being pardoned. Even as Junmyeon tells him that he could never be mad at him. Even as Junmyeon tells him, that he should be the one to apologize, for not telling him earlier. Baekhyun simply does not deserve, does not deserve to be loved by someone like Junmyeon.

He still is happy around Chanyeol and Chen, and Junmyeon too, as he is invited to life with the trio. Years go by. The four of them live in peace, but Baekhyun can’t accept himself. His whole life, he has been a brat, someone who thought he was better than everyone else, someone who didn’t even change for a long time after he became a vampire and someone who hated and misunderstood the person he loved for the longest time.

He still smiles. He jokes. He laughs. But deep down, he doesn’t think that he deserves any of this. After more than a century, he knows that he allowed himself to be happy for too long. And he does what he knows best.

 

Being here is new, but somehow familiar. Familiar, as he has been here before. Travelled through, and met three people who would change his life in a way. But China of course has changed as well. 

Baekhyun had not intended to stay. What he had wanted was going back to his roots, back to where he came from, a coutry he knows is now called Korea. But he makes a friend on the way. 

He is gentle, loving, and he can read Baekhyun like no one else has been able to before. Yixing is a complete sweetheart, and Baekhyun just can’t stop himself from wanting to stay, wanting to receive all the love and understanding. Yixing is good at getting things out of him, and while Baekhyun is cuddled and coddled, he tells him his whole story.

“Don’t” Yixing tells him then.  
“Don’t hate yourself.”  
“Don’t think you’re not deserving.”

And Baekhyun knows Junmyoen would say the same thing. Chanyeol would. Chen would. Kyungsoo would. Maybe even Minseok.

But Baekhyun never told them how he feels, and he won’t, even if he could, because he has to forgive himself first. 

“If I ever die, Baekhyun, please let me be like you.” Yixing says one day. “Someone needs to look after you, and if I have to become a vampire in order to do so, I’m more than willing to do it.”

Baekhyun knows he won’t do it. Yixing, injuring people, drinking blood? No, Yixing is too good, too pure for that.

But years pass and Yixing’s words worm itself into Baekhyun’s head. It has been ages since Baekhyun has lost his friends. The only friends he would have had to fear for. Yifan, Zitao and Luhan, they had not been immortal like all the other people in Baekhyun’s life, and they had died. Baekhuyn had not even been able to say goodbye. Could he bear to lose Yixing the way he lost those three? Yixing in a way is even dearer to him. Yixing works every single day on making Baekhyun feel better, on making Baekhyun believe he is worth something. But it would be selfish, wanting to keep him by his side, wouldn’t it?

In a way, Baekhyun has started to tolerate the kind of being he is. As a vampire, he has all the power to kill, but he also has all the power to survive, drink blood, without having to kill. His life will be long, much longer than it already has been, but it does not seem as hopeless anymore.  
But his problem is still how much of an asshole he has been throughout all those years. Yixing is working on that as well though, and the day comes when Baekhyun realises that he is allowed to leave those things behind and become a better person, and that maybe he can also be forgiven, if he only swears to do better.

“I’m almost thirty.” Yixing suddenly tells Baekhyun, and he is pretty confused at first, but then Yixing once again asks Baekhyun to turn him, tells him that he knows Baekhyun doesn’t actually want to stay there. Tells him that he has lost his family a long ago, has no reason to stay either.

So Baekhyun tells himself that he has already overthought too many situations, and that’s how he finds himself with a mouth full of Yixing’s blood, cutting his own wrist and shoving it into Yixing’s face. “Drink.” He commands and Yixing does so. Yixing goes into this weird state Baekhyun has been in himself, and Baekhyun does not really know how to handle the situation. Carefully, he tries to find people who can give their blood to Yixing, people whose minds are easy to control, letting them forget what just happened, just like Chanyeol and Jongdae always used to do it.  
Yixing takes his time to turn; however, it can’t be as long as it took Baekhyun, as Yixing will belong to the third generation. After six years, Yixing is himself again, and together, finally, they go to Korea.

 

“Baek!... Baek!” Yixing shouts through their apartment; he’s out of breath when he finally comes to a halt in front of Baekhyun. “I met the most awesome boy today, I tell you, he’s so cute.” Yixing swoons.

So Baekhyun learns all about Sehun, just turned adult, tall but cute, apparently skilled at dancing and the new man of Yixing’s dreams.

They came to Korea, Seoul, not too long ago, just a few years, had a calm life, although, Yixing seems to like the nightlife a little more than Baekhyun.

That’s how Yixing meets the cute boy, Sehun, again and again, just to come back to Baekhyun and tell him all about him with a very love-struck expression. Until one day, he comes back with a frown, cuddles up to Baekhyun and tells him that the cute boy is not available apparently. But then Baekhyun starts to learn about Jongin too, tall, handsome, second man of Yixing’s dreams? Somehow Yixing seems to be able to win both of them over. 

When Baekhyun meets them for the first time, he is charmed as well. The boys are really cute, and he somehow starts to feel like a parent. After all, Baehyun is already around 1700 years old, an eternity compared to Jongin and Sehun’s eighteen.  
The three make it work. They probably would have been together for a while. Then, Sehun and Jongin would have found out about Baekhyun and Yixing’s nature. Maybe, after several years of being together and considering, they could have been turned, to be together for eternity. 

Things come differently. 

It’s the middle of the night, as Yixing comes running to their apartment after a night out. “He’s dead, Baek.” He says. Then he breaks out in tears. “Yixing. What happened? Tell me, maybe we can do something about it?”

“Outside the club” Yixing gets out, hiccupping. “We just got outside, walking, there was this car, drove into our direction, I pulled Jongin away but he got Sehun.” “Then let’s go get them.” Baekhyun says.  
He gets this sudden need to help, he wants to help Yixing, help his boyfriends. He knows which club Yixing talkes about, and he’s there in seconds. Jongin sits on the ground, next to Sehun, holds his hands, cries. There’s no car, no culprit. There aren’t people either. Jongin must be confused at Baekhyun’s abrupt appearance, but the grief clearly overshadows that. Yixing appears too, a little slower than Baekhyun.

“Get Jongin to our apartment.” Baekhyun commands. “I’ll take Sehun. Yixing, I can save him, but you know what that means. You should decide.”  
He takes Sehun in his arms, runs as fast as possible. Takes his arm, bites it, drinks his blood in preparation. When Yixing appears with Jongin, Baekhyun’s wrist is already cut open.

“Yixing. Yes? No?” He asks, wrist dangerously close to Sehun’s mouth. Jongin’s eyes are round shocked, but it is Yixing who knows what’s going on, who has do decide. “Do it.” He says finally, and that’s how Baekhyun gives his blood to the second mortal, damns another one to be immortal, but that’s how Sehun can be saved.  
Of course they explain everything to Jongin. And Jongin wants to follow Sehun, so that he too can be like his lovers, and Baekhyun acquiesces, turning him as well, and then it begins again, the wait until they finally gain consciousness again. 

 

The clock strikes midnight. The fireworks over the Han River are massive, loud. Baekhyun is out on the balcony, leaving the three lovers alone during their tender moment as Jongin and Sehun both just woke up. The new millennium has started.  
There’s a ring on the door, and Baekhyun gets it. The face he comes to see as he lets the person in is one he has not seen in a long time. Minseok looks younger, better. “Well, happy new millennium, my little Baekhyun.” He grins, catching him in a hug. “Found company by the way” he grins, and Baekhyun sees Chanyeol and Jongdae coming in after Minseok. “Unfortunately without your lover.” He adds. “And don’t ask how I found you, I’m just a genius.” 

They celebrate. They get joined by Sehun, Jongin and Yixing. Baekhyun feels happy. Things are almost perfect.

Almost.

But for the last few months he has felt the tug again. The connection. He knows Junmyeon is near. And as all his companions laugh, chat, Baekhyun steals away, out, not running away this time. This time he runs towards him. Towards Junmyeon.


End file.
